Argus News - BCB Formally Requests ICC to Move Bangladesh T20 World Cup Matches Out of India

Dhaka, Jan 4: The Bangladesh Cricket Board said Sunday it has formally asked the International Cricket Council to relocate all of its matches in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup outside of India, citing safety and security concerns.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) convened an emergency board meeting on Sunday afternoon, after having done one via Zoom on Saturday evening, after Mustafizur Rahman was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for IPL 2025 on the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) owing to ongoing tensions between India and Bangladesh.

“The Board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh National Team in matches scheduled to be played in India.

“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions.

“In light of this decision, the BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC), as the event authority, to consider relocating all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India,” said the BCB in its detailed statement on Sunday.

India and Sri Lanka are scheduled to co-host the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8, with matches spread across multiple venues in both countries.

Bangladesh's refusal to play in India threatens to disrupt the tournament schedule, considering their itinerary of games includes matches against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, as well as against Nepal on February 17 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

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“The Board believes that such a step is necessary to safeguard the safety and well-being of Bangladeshi players, team officials, board members and other stakeholders and to ensure that the team can participate in the tournament in a secure and appropriate environment. The Bangladesh Cricket Board looks forward to the ICC’s understanding of the situation and an urgent response on this matter,” added the BCB.

(IANS)